take your answer off the air...

Talker's MagazineThe quirky talk radio trade mag. Check the Talk Radio Research Project- it's not very scientific, but places on the top 15 talkers list (scroll down to Talk Radio Audiences By Size)) are as hotly contested as Emmys (and mean just about as much).

The AdvocateNo, not THAT Advocate... it's the Northwest Progressive Institute's Official Blog.

Media MattersDocumentation of right-wing media in video, audio and text.

Orcinushome of David Neiwert, freelance investigative journalist and author who writes extensively about far-right hate groups

Hominid Views"People, politics, science, and whatnot"
Darryl is a statistician who fights imperialism with empiricism, gives good links and wry commentary.

Jesus' General An 11 on the Manly Scale of Absolute Gender, a 12 on the Heavenly Scale of the 10 Commandments and a 6 on the earthly scale of the Immaculately Groomed.

Irrational Public Radio "informs, challenges, soothes and/or berates, and does so with a pleasing vocal cadence and unmatched enunciation. When you listen to IPR, integrity washes over you like lava, with the pleasing familiarity of a medium-roast coffee and a sensible muffin."

The Moderate VoiceThe voice of reason in the age of Obama, and the politics of the far-middle.

News Hounds Dogged dogging of Fox News by a team who seems to watch every minute of the cable channel so you don't have to.

HistoryLinkFun to read and free encyclopedia of Washington State history. Founded by the late Walt Crowley, it's an indispensable tool and entertainment source for history wonks and surfers alike.

right-wing blogs we like

The Reagan WingHearin lies the real heart of Washington State Republicans. Doug Parris runs this red-meat social conservative group site which bars no holds when it comes to saying who they are and who they're not; what they believe and what they don't; who their friends are and where the rest of the Republicans can go. Well-written, and flaming.

July 22, 2012

R.I.P. J.P. Patches

SEATTLE - Chris Wedes, who played beloved local celebrity clown J.P. Patches and entertained generations of kids and adults during a career spanning more than 50 years, died Sunday. He was 84.

His family was at his bedside at his death and confirmed that he passed away Sunday morning.

"We've lost an institution," said his widow, who was married to Wedes for 56 years.

The Emmy Award-winning J.P. Patches Show was one of the longest-running locally-produced children's television programs in the United States, appearing on Seattle TV station KIRO channel 7 from 1958 to 1981.

J.P. was the "Mayor of the City Dump", where he lived in a shack and welcomed frequent guests: Seattle boy scout and girl scout troops, various local and national celebrities. Among his more well-known guests were Colonel Sanders, Jacques Cousteau, Slim Pickens and Tiny Tim.

He also had a beloved cast of supporting characters - Gertrude, Boris S. Wort, Grizwold, Esmerelda and Tikey Turkey.

Many children signed up to be "Patches Pals," and J.P. announced some of their birthdays by "viewing" them on his "ICU2TV" set (a cardboard prop that created the appearance that J.P. was looking at you from inside your television).

J.P. Patches (the J.P. stood for Julius Pierpont) also made frequent fundraising appearances for local charities. He was a common sight at Children's Hospital, visiting sick kids and promoting the work of the hospital.

Wedes had suffered from a form of blood cancer for the past six years, yet still kept up a schedule of performances at county fairs and other venues. He gave his last performance in September 2011 at Fishermen's Terminal.

Comments

The guy kickstarted every kid who thought making people laugh might be a real living. His jokes-within-jokes were complex and we spent the day repeating them until we got it. When Channel 9 used to run Python at 9pm and KIRO had JP at 7am, it was great to be a 12 year old. He heard it a million times, but it was great to be able to meet the guy and tell him,"You are one funny fucker." He nodded.

On the surface he was a clown, which gave him cover to unleash his sly, subversive, slightly naughty humor on his child audience. As a 7-10 year old I got it. I outgrew him, but the seeds he planted enabled me to appreciate the value of not taking life too seriously. He'll always have a special place in my heart and memory. Thank you JP. Have fun on your journeys.

J.P. made life better for all of us locals.
I got to be one of those kids on his show...
I know there are many requests for copies of video, but they are long gone.
Tapes were re-used over and over.
Makes the memories even more important.
J.P. was the best!

Proud to say I met J.P. in person and shook his hand. As i stadn and gaze out of Grandpa Throckmoton;s West Queen Anne mansion, whixh i inherited a few years back, i spend some time thinking about the disappearance of old Seattle. I only spend some weekends and an ocaisional 3 day weekend here at the atahrockmorton estate, preferring my luxury residence athe top of Seattle's premier luxury hotel overlooking the waterfront. West Queen Anne and interbay is growing rapidly , tearing down the older, cheaper homes and apartments to make way for slick new townhouses and apartments to house the uncultured, ignoarant shmoes and boors who park their Beamers and Tahoes past the outside line of the crosswalk as they wait impatiently fo the lights to change. These people, interlopers from L.A. and back east know nothing of J.P. and the rest of old Seattle, don't care to know and could not care less.

I understand your trepidation about us transplants. I’ve talked of J.P. with my wife about his impression on her life for a while. But for you to suggest we didn’t have the same experience is naive. I grew up watching Joe Smith and Duffy the dog on Club house 22the same Joe Smith on KGW of Portland . We care, and feel your empathy. Well not for you, but for the metaphorical you.

It was Rusty Nails, Heck Harper, Addie Bobkins and Uncle Charlie advertising "Beep Beep Jarvis Jeep" in his train conductor outfit, if you lived in Western Oregon. I remember being quite sad when Heck Harper passed away.

KVI am 570 KHz Visit the burnt-out husk of one of the seminal right-wing talkers in all the land. Here's where once trilled the reactionary tones of Rush Limbaugh, John Carlson, Kirby Wilbur, Mike Siegel, Peter Weissbach, Floyd Brown, Dinky Donkey, and Bryan Suits.
Now it's Top 40 hits from the '60's & '70's aimed at that diminishing crowd who still remembers them and can still hear.

KTTH am 770 KHzRight wing home of local, and a whole bunch of syndicated righties such as Glennn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Lars Larsony, and for an hour a day: live & local David Boze.